Call It Quits, TeddyA Plea After Seeing a Game-As-Hell Fighter Possibly Sit It Out

In a recent fight report, I suggested that welterweight Nurhan Suleymanoglu retire. I’m going to do the same for Teddy Reid, 35, who was KO’d at 1:14 of the fourth on Friday Night Fights’ main event at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.

As always, Reid put on an exciting, gutsy performance against Ricardo Gutierrez. Reid never changes; he always comes forward, winging wide arcing punches, and eschewing defense. It’s what makes him fun to watch and so dangerous to opponents—and himself.

From 1995 to 2002 he was a gigantic (5’11’’ with cannonball shoulders), Foremanesque jnr. welter. He mostly starched opponents and was occasionally out-boxed. He moved up to welter and still looked oversized, until he ran into Kermit Cintron in 2004. Going toe-to-toe with the younger slugger on HBO for the WBO belt, Reid got stopped in eight. He decided to move up to 154 and, while still a thrilling face-first puncher, lost to Rodney Jones, Verno Phillips and drew with J.C. Candelo. The Washington D.C. bad boy now finds himself 23-9-2 (17). But with no more significant paydays or belts in his future, and enough wars and scar tissue to rival Gatti, why go on?

The Colombian Gutierrez, who came in at the contracted 151, is not Reid’s opposite. No nonsense, he comes straight at his man and tries to, essentially, beat him to a pulp. But he’s a dedicated body puncher—Teddy tends to headhunt—and throws tighter, shorter punches. They found their way inside Reid’s arcing stuff from the beginning.

With relatively little wear and tear on him and the promise of titles and big purses in his future, Ricardo would not give Reid many comfortable moments. But unlike most fighters, Reid doesn’t require confidence-building moments. He’s a Terminator, a guy you can never count out, possessing a big eraser and tremendous heart.

Reid was battered mercilessly in the opening round, and looked even close to going were he not such a resolute warrior. And he finished the round firing back heavy stuff of his own.

The second was Reid’s strongest round. “Distance is a friend of Reid,” expert analyst Teddy Atlas said. “Closeness is his enemy.” As if heeding this, Reid used his range and made his stocky, short-armed foe pay when he tried to get in close. While it was a bounce-back round for Reid, the other was right there with him, boxing, moving his head more, and finished with a salvo to the ribs.

In the third, the old vet was hammered so bad I almost turned away from the screen. Referee Eddie Claudio kept a watchful eye on him, but knowing his history, let things continue. An experienced ringside physician examined Reid’s pupils after the round and studied his body language.

Reid’s corner was in denial, almost asking their charge, “What’s the problem, bro? You should be winning!” The boxer’s vacant expression said otherwise.

A minute into the fourth a right hook from Gutierrez strayed low. It landed below Reid’s belt line, around his left hip. Reid went down, writhed in agony for a couple seconds and then got to his knees as the ref neared ten.

Only Reid knows how hurt he was. But when it came to toughness throughout his career, few had more sand than him. And if he chose to stay down when he could have gone on, then that’s as good a sign as any that it’s time for Teddy Reid to hang ‘em up.

Yukeno Andino is a muscular Puerto Rican welterweight whose progress many will be charting over the next year or two. Now 9-0 (3), he handled his business against Gilbert Venegas, winning a UD by scores of 79-73 twice and 77-75.

“He’s more than just a guy with muscle; he’s got muscles in his brains,” Teddy Atlas said of Andino. While he leads with his strength, he’s not heedless in his attack. He can also switch hit, but generally fights southpaw. His left hand had an implanted homing device targeting Gilbert’s head.

Outisde the ring, Andino is a big talker. He calls out Andre Berto every time a microphone is thrust before him, claims Miguel Cotto—who used to spar with him—is now afraid to work with him, and calls Mayweather “a clown.”

Another Puerto Rican prospect on the televised undercard also has high expectations for himself. Hector Sanchez, now 10-0 (4), has freaky dimensions. He’s 6’2’’ and weighed in at 140. (He’s even come in as light as 133.) His opponent Marcus Brashears, who fell to 4-4-1 (2), was game and aggressive, and easily took the fourth and final round in my opinion. Regardless, Sanchez got the UD by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37.